Trainer Profile

County Of Origin: Galway

Date of licence : 1980

First winner: Faugheen (Mick Furlong), Limerick, December 27th, 1980

Significant horses (selected): Trapper John, His Song, Foxchapel King, Boss Doyle, Fota Island, War Of Attrition, Hear The Echo, China Rock, First Lieutenant, Rogue Angel, Rule The World

Assoc. jockeys: Bryan Cooper, David Mullins

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Michael Morris has been known as "Mouse" since his early days as an amateur rider.  In his early days, he served his apprenticeship with the legendary Frenchie Nicholson where Pat Eddery was one his contemporaries. He rode principally for Edward O'Grady and partnered O'Grady's first Cheltenham festival winner when Mr Midland won the National Hunt Chase in 1974. He teamed up with trainer Brian Lusk to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase twice with Skymas in 1976 and 1977. He won the Irish Grand National on Billycan for trainer Adrian Maxwell in 1977. He took out his own trainer's licence in 1980 and sent out his first winner at Limerick on December 27th in the same year when Faugheen, owned by Mrs Marie Shee and ridden by Mick Furlong won Division 1 of the Killeen Maiden Hurdle. His first Cheltenham winner came three years later when Buck House won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and the same horse went on to take the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 1986. An even bigger win came when War Of Attrition landed the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2006. He enjoyed further Irish Grand National success when Hear the Echo prevailed in 2008 and he won the race again when Rogue Angel scored in April, 2016. Just 12 days later, Morris enjoyed the biggest success of his career when Rule The World won the Crabbie's Grand National at Aintree.